So how did these scones come about?
Have a seat.
A few days ago, while stirring a pot of chicken meatball soup and letting my mind wander — wondering why gummy vitamins seem to have so many more yellow than red, and whether anyone could top Boyz II Men in the mid-90s — I realized plain soup needed something extra. I wanted dippers.
Not just plain biscuits or dull scones. I wanted something with character: a little sass, bright flavor, and a zing that would make the soup sing. In short, something interesting to dunk into that warm bowl.
I scanned the pantry, the fridge and the clutter on my counter for inspiration and found nothing obvious. I even opened the freezer, mostly out of habit — who knows what mysteries live back there? I was hoping for something unexpected that might elevate a bread-like dipper.
Instead of the usual, my freezer held a nearly freezer-burnt bag of pesto. Jackpot. I don’t often freeze things, and when I do they usually become hidden ice sculptures, but this pesto was still usable. With pesto as a starting point, I knew I could make scones with more personality than plain ones.
Pesto alone might have been fine, but I’m the sort of person who loves cheese. So I added lots of freshly grated Parmesan to make the scones rich and savory — the kind of scone that begs to be dunked into hot soup.
Pesto Parmesan Scones
Adapted from a favorite scone recipe. Makes about 12–16 scones, depending on how you cut them.
Ingredients:
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup prepared pesto
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Melted butter, for brushing
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper. Cut in the cold butter using your fingers, a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Stir in the buttermilk, pesto and Parmesan until a rough dough forms. Use your hands to bring the dough together, then turn it onto a lightly floured surface and knead it gently a few times.
4. Divide the dough in half and pat each portion into a 7-inch round. Cut each round into 6–8 wedges. Alternatively, cut rounds with a biscuit cutter or form the dough into a rectangle and slice into squares.
5. Place the scones on a baking sheet, brush the tops with melted butter, and bake. Wedges take about 12–14 minutes; rounds or squares take about 9–11 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with an extra pat of butter if desired.
These pesto Parmesan scones are savory, flaky and perfect for dunking into soup. They also happen to be festive: you could easily serve them for St. Patrick’s Day or any time you want a vibrant, savory bake to accompany a bowl of something warm and comforting.